Men's Basketball

Cowels Has High Hopes for Sophomore Season

Story Written by Student Assistant Carolyn Linck '11

Last season the Broncos were led by a strong freshmen class,
including forward Raymond Cowels, forward Niyi
Harrison and WCC All-Freshmen Team point guard Robert
Smith. This trio looks to build on their individual
successes and include Chris
Cunningham and Kevin
Foster to round out the current sophomore class.

Cowels, who was extremely motivated to improve after last
season's disappointing ending, believes that with a year of
experience under his belt and hard work this off-season he and his
fellow sophomores will be ready to re-establish a winning tradition
at Santa Clara in their second year of Bronco basketball.

"It was tough last season, coming from high school, not knowing
what to expect and us not winning as much as I thought we would. I
was spoiled in a way," said Cowels, who lost only six games in his
entire high school career at Hopkins High School in Minneapolis,
Minnesota. "I already know this year will be different. With the
new players coming in, a senior class with experience and the
lessons we learned from last year, I think we can take huge steps
forward."

The entire team is working hard to ensure that happens, and
Cowels hopes that the team's 2010-11 record will reflect its
dedication this off-season.

"The whole team is very motivated right now. Last season
we were so close but so far away. We don't want any 'almost this'
and 'so close that' next year. We just want to win and have no
excuses," said Cowels, who has been in Santa Clara all summer
working out with the strength and conditioning coach Joe Siara, his
teammates and playing pick up with players from Stanford.

"We know it's not going to be easy now, and we'll be ready when
the season comes. We're a young team but we're talented.
Hopefully this year we can put it all together," said Cowels.

As sophomores Cowels and his teammates Harrison and Smith are
taking on a larger leadership role, particularly by helping the
freshmen get acclimated to SCU.

"It's the new era," said Smith, who roomed with freshman Yannick
Atanga for part of the summer. "We're trying to show the new
guys how things are here, help them get settled."

"We want the freshmen to know what to expect, to know that this
is different from high school and to be ready when the season
comes," said Cowels. "I remember how tough that adjustment
was at times, and I just want to help them out as much as I can on
and off the court."

By being a good teammate and putting time in the weight room and
open gym this summer, Cowels hopes to have a great sophomore season
from both an individual and team perspective. Opening the
season on November 12 in the Leavey Center against CSU Bakersfield,
Cowels and the Broncos will be ready to win.

"I had this swagger in high school that I'm getting back.
The feeling that every time we're on the court our team is going to
win," Cowels.